AUGUST 2023 CHEESE CLUB

 
 

 WINE CLUB | CHEESE CLUB

ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 CHEESES:

Montasio DOP | Friuli Venezia Giulia / Veneto, Italy

Cow's milk
This accessible mountain cheese hails from the alps in northeastern Italy, where folks keep it on the table for daily nibbles. It's easy to eat, with notes of butterscotch, sweet cream, flowers, and (don't judge) the best sliced cheese single you've ever had.
From this month’s wine club lineup, this cheese pairs well with: 2020 Jean-Marc Brocard Kimmeridgian

Fourme D’Ambert | Auvergne, France

Pasteurized cow’s milk
This bluey comes from a region where the cows graze over volcanic, mineral-rich soil, which gives the cheeses a distinct rocky / metallic tone. You'll notice a fudginess followed by a coating, mineral mouthfeel, good salinity, and subtle earthy tones.
Try it with: 2022 Gönc Winery “Cuvée Anna”

Cherry Valley Dairy Grey Salt Butter | Duvall, Washington, USA

Pasteurized cow’s milk
Summer butter is the best butter, because the cows graze outside in meadow pasture (in the case of Cherry Valley) where they munch up native grasses, herbs, and flowers. This superior slick stuff is clean and bright. Last year, I included their rose herb butter in our lineup, so this year, we're indulging in their original butter that's modeled after the stuff you find in Poitou-Charentaise in the Loire in France. Try it on milk chocolate, spread it on radishes from your garden, or just eat it with a spoon when nobody's looking.
Try it with: 2022 Monte Xanic Viña Kristel

6-CHEESE MEMBERS ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE 3:

Piave Vecchio | Veneto, Italy

Pasteurized cow’s milk
This slightly nutty formaggio is dense and firm, acidic and fruity like pineapple and citrus, and punches some brothy notes in there. It's similar in flavor to Parmigiano Reggiano, though without the inherent crystallization and dry texture. It's approachable with a substantial chew.
Try it with: 2020 Kind Stranger “Alter”

Abondance | Savoie, France

Raw cow’s milk
This classic mountain cheese comes to us from the French alps and boasts all the complex notes of its powerhouse friends like Comté and Beaufort. The animals graze on mountain pasture and work their way up the slopes during the warmer months, then return to the valley floor in the autumn. There, they “dry off” for a little winter respite. In the spring, calving season kicks off, and the process starts anew. We'll alway offer a wine pairing, but also give this guy a try with some coffee — Alpines are one of the best breakfast cheeses around.
Try it with: 2022 Clos Fornelli Rosé

Brebirousse d’Argental | Lyon, France

Pasteurized ewe's milk
This bloomy-rinded beauty is ooey-gooey, lactic, grassy, and a touch wooly (just enough to let you know you're indulging in sheep's milk cheese). It will slick over your tongue and displays much more complexity than a typical cow's milk softie. The orange rind is a result of a natural dye called annatto, which is a seed from the Achiote plant that grows in lower Central and South America. It's just for looks though — the annatto seed doesn't have any flavor.
Try it with: 2020 Château de Juliénas Cuvée Tradition

 
 

AND SOME TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CHEESE HAPPY AT HOME

  • Protect your cheese from drying out by keeping it in your fridge in a lidded container (like tupperware), a plastic baggie, or the crisper drawer.

  • After opening, always use fresh plastic wrap for any cheese you’re not planning to eat within a day, unless it’s being kept in a container (which we recommend).

  • In general, we suggest eating your cheese within a week or so of purchasing. Some cheeses will last longer, but, you know, why wait!

  • Keep bloomy rinds and blues separated when possible. The molds are quite zealous and will grow on any cheese they can latch onto, so just keep them in separate containers and you’ll be fine.

  • A word about mold: If it’s growing on your semi-firm or firm cheeses, just cut it off and eat it! This white and blue mold is just fine — these cheeses lack the water to host the nasty molds. But if mold is growing on your fresh mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, or fresh chèvre, throw it out.  The amount of water in these cheeses provides a great environment for the nasty stuff. If you start to see mold, you can be sure that the filaments are already running throughout the cheese :(

  • For the best flavors, take your cheese out of the fridge for an hour or so before serving. When cheeses are too cold, all their delicious flavors, aromas, and textures get shy. Serve at room temperature to enjoy to the fullest.

This month’s cheese was carefully curated by Seattle’s Resident Cheese Lady, Rachael Lucas, ACS CCP, CCSE. Rachael is a cheese buyer for the Ballinger Thriftway in Shoreline, a fromage writer for tastewashingtontravel.com, and she’s on the Board of Directors for WASCA (Washington State Cheesemaker’s Association).